as in red lights
something that tells of approaching danger or risk
the résumé she accidentally left on the office printer was a red flag that she was planning to quit
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of red flags
Deliberate cruelty to animals is one of the clearest red flags.
—
Steven Yablonski, CBS News, 3 Mar. 2026
Ironically, one of the clearest red flags is volume.
—Jessica Pellien, Literary Hub, 3 Mar. 2026
The Kings threw themselves behind Hiller at multiple turns despite the presence of red flags and availability of emergency exits.
—Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 1 Mar. 2026
Here’s a look at some of the economic indicators that appear strong, those that are seemingly stable, and the ones that are raising red flags.
—David Goldman, CNN Money, 24 Feb. 2026
Instead, recent reports raise serious red flags.
—J.b. Jennings, Baltimore Sun, 22 Feb. 2026
Evan definitely has some red flags.
—Olivia Truffaut-Wong, Vulture, 17 Feb. 2026
Common red flags of car warranty scams include unsolicited communications claiming your warranty is expiring, scare tactics, ambiguous coverage details, and pressure to pay upfront or divulge personal information.
—Sharon Brandwein, USA Today, 16 Feb. 2026
Common red flags for daters include expecting the other person to pay for everything or having bad spending habits, The Harris Poll survey found.
—Kamaron McNair, CNBC, 14 Feb. 2026
Steven Yablonski, CBS News, 3 Mar. 2026
Ironically, one of the clearest red flags is volume.
—Jessica Pellien, Literary Hub, 3 Mar. 2026
The Kings threw themselves behind Hiller at multiple turns despite the presence of red flags and availability of emergency exits.
—Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 1 Mar. 2026
Here’s a look at some of the economic indicators that appear strong, those that are seemingly stable, and the ones that are raising red flags.
—David Goldman, CNN Money, 24 Feb. 2026
Instead, recent reports raise serious red flags.
—J.b. Jennings, Baltimore Sun, 22 Feb. 2026
Evan definitely has some red flags.
—Olivia Truffaut-Wong, Vulture, 17 Feb. 2026
Common red flags of car warranty scams include unsolicited communications claiming your warranty is expiring, scare tactics, ambiguous coverage details, and pressure to pay upfront or divulge personal information.
—Sharon Brandwein, USA Today, 16 Feb. 2026
Common red flags for daters include expecting the other person to pay for everything or having bad spending habits, The Harris Poll survey found.
—Kamaron McNair, CNBC, 14 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for red flags
Noun
-
Drivers running red lights caused 750 crashes between 2019 and 2023, with 7 of those crashes being deadly, data from the City of Pittsburgh's Department of Mobility and Infrastructure (DOMI) shows in a release about the program sent out by Verra Mobility.—
Chilekasi Adele,
CBS News,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Prosecutors said Clarke-Samuel had been drinking alcohol at a bar in central London, and drove his BMW erratically at around 70 mph (112 kilometers per hour) before the crash, running six red lights and driving on the wrong side of the road.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Bart Jansen Responding to criticism about Americans stranded in the Middle East, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the government issued numerous warnings about traveling in the region since January.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Also Wednesday, the Israeli military issued several warnings to people to evacuate buildings in Beirut's southern suburbs, which were struck shortly afterward.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Based on the appointment of the late supreme leader’s son as successor, there are no clear signs of an imminent regime change in Iran.—
Amena Bakr,
semafor.com,
9 Mar. 2026
-
For months now, real-estate developer Michael Shvo has been insisting that everything is just fine, despite troubling signs at his portfolio of trophy properties.—
Kim Velsey,
Curbed,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Red flags.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/red%20flags. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
